WASHINGTON—More Catholics would
become priests and religious sisters and brothers if there were greater
encouragement for them to pursue a religious vocation. Problems such as cost of
Catholic schools and impediments to education, particularly among Hispanic
Catholics, also stand as factors in determining who chooses to pursue a
religious vocation.

Those are
some of the key findings in "Consideration of Priesthood and Religious
Life Among Never-Married U.S. Catholics," a survey conducted by the Georgetown
University-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA). The U.S.
bishops' Secretariat for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations commissioned
the study released in October with financial support from the Conrad N. Hilton
Foundation. The study is available online at http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/survey-of-youth-and-young-adults-on-vocations.cfm

The
survey found that among never-married Catholics, three percent of men and two
percent of women have seriously considered a religious vocation.

"This is equivalent to 350,000
never-married men and 250,000 never married women," the survey said. "Shepherding
more of these individuals on the path to seeking a vocation would likely
require a combination of greater outreach from the Church, encouragement from
others, assistance in obtaining educational prerequisites, and dealing with
other issues such as student loan debt and citizenship status."

The
survey found "generational differences" with the least interest in vocations
occurring among the post-Vatican II Catholics, born 1961 -1981. The survey
found an increase in numbers among the millennial generation, those born after
1981, "particularly among men of this generation."

CARA found that other ethnicities,
primarily Asian women, "are more than twice as likely to consider a vocation"
when compared to those women who described themselves as white or Hispanic.

The impact of Catholic education is
strong.

"Among male respondents, after
controlling for other factors, those who attended a Catholic secondary school
(grades 9-12) are more likely to have considered becoming a priest or religious
brother." Those males who attended Catholic secondary schools, the survey
found, "are more than six times as likely to have considered a vocation."

"Participation in a parish youth
group during primary school years (grades K-8) is also strongly related to
vocational consideration for men. These respondents are more than five times as
likely to consider becoming a priest or religious brother than those who did
not participate in a parish youth group."

Encouragement from others is also
important for men, the survey found. "Respondents who had three persons
encourage them would be expected to be more than five times more likely to
consider a vocation than someone who was not encouraged by anyone."

Influences on women were similar.
However, the study found "it is attendance at a Catholic primary school which
is important for female vocational consideration."Parish youth group participation also is
important for women, but "unlike males, it is participation during high school
years rather than primary school years that has an effect."

"Women who participated in a parish
youth group during these teen years are more than nine times as likely to
consider becoming a religious sister," CARA found.

The survey also noted that "although
most Catholics who are becoming priests, religious brothers or religious
sisters now are typically in their 30s or even older, it is likely that the
roots of these vocations were established in their teen years or even earlier."

Archbishop
Robert J. Carlson, chairman of the bishops' Committee on Clergy, Consecrated
Life, and Vocations, said the findings offer hope."The good news is that more than 500,000
never-married men and women have seriously considered a vocation to priesthood
or the religious life.The challenge is
to pastor and guide these individuals more effectively.This will require greater and more consistent
encouragement from others, particularly within the family, and a more urgent
focus on access to Catholic education for our young people."

The study listed several challenges in
vocation work, particularly among Hispanics, a growing population of the church
in the United States. About 48 percent of all Catholics in the United States
born after 1981 are Hispanic. Educational requirements for religious formation
programs, such as college experience and the skills to pursue advanced
education, puts Hispanics at a disadvantage.

"Hispanic
respondents are the least likely to report attending college or obtaining a
college degree," the survey found. "Hispanic respondents are also the least
likely to indicate enrollment in a Catholic school at any level of their
education and the results of the study suggests that this makes it less likely
that they will consider a vocation."

Despite
the intensive efforts of many bishops and religious communities to make the
recruitment process more inviting to and supportive of Hispanic candidates, the
shortfall of Hispanic clergy and religious remains urgent. About 35 percent of
all Catholics in the United States are Hispanic and yet only 15 percent of the
2012 ordination class and 9 percent of the 2011 religious profession class were
Hispanic. This is a gap that continues to need urgent attention.

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